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Sometimes, you just cannot answer the phone. Apple’s iPhone gives you the ability to set an outgoing voicemail greeting, which is heard by callers when you miss a call or have to silence your phone for a meeting. Depending on your preferences, you can record a personal greeting or use the default included with the device. You set and record your iPhone greeting directly on the device.

Accessing Greetings

To change your iPhone’s greeting, you’ll first need to access the settings that control it. You can find these settings by touching the “Phone” icon on the iPhone home screen, and then touching "Voicemail" followed by “Greeting.” Here you’ll find everything you need to manage your iPhone’s greeting setup. When you’re done making changes, touch the “Save” button to exit and apply the changes.

Default

The first option on the iPhone’s Greetings screen is Default. This is the basic iPhone greeting assigned to all devices, and it is a recorded voice telling callers that you are unavailable. If this is the option you have checked, any callers who leave a message for you will hear this message first. This is a good option for those who like a little privacy, since advertisers and other unsolicited callers won’t get your name from your greeting.

Custom

The Custom option on the Greetings screen is more flexible. Touch the “Record” button to record a new greeting or tap “Play” to listen to the greeting you’ve already recorded. If you’d like to exit without making any changes, touch “Cancel” at the top of the screen. You can record a new greeting at any time and have as many tries as you need to get it just right.

Greeting Tips

When recording your greeting, speak clearly so callers can understand your instructions and mention your name so they know they reached the right phone. Finally, keep it short -- callers don’t want to spend time on the phone waiting for your greeting to wind down so they can leave you a message. Tailor your message to your callers; with a business phone, a professional tone is warranted.